Hello I was wondering if anyone knew what the best header paint to use and not flake off or rust off was. Sorry for the dumb question but i figured i beter ask. Speed

for a DIY job get some BLK by TECH LINE

Retail Packaged, Exhaust System Coatings

Black Satin (BHK)™
*Black Satin™ is the most advanced exhaust system coating available
*Withstands 2000f temperatures
*Easy to apply ceramic reinforced coating designed for high applications
*Reduces underhood temperatures, reduces exhaust manifold surface temperatures
*Improve exhaust gas velocity, increase H.P.
* Air drying, requires no baking, cures on car with exhaust heat.

I do lot of headers with it. Same with TURBO X and CERAMIC SILVER.

I have always had great luck with VHT 1500 deg paint. The trick is the prep job, as with any paint job. First thing to do is to clean all the rust off if you have any, then scuff them really good with some 600 sand paper, then use some thinner to remove all the oil and contaminates, that is very important. Now that you have that done get them good and warm, I have luck just putting them out in the sun on a nice day. Put a nice even tack coat on first, and repeate until you have what your looking for. When installed I start the car for about 2/3 min and cut it off to let it cool, then do it one more time before I let it come up to temp. Well I hope that helps, I used to do that on all my stuff for years until all these nice places came out with all the coartings, like jet hot. Now if there is any way possible thats the way to go.

I did like zeeya, works very well. Also you can use a propane torch, and bake on the paint. But when you fire up the car, it'll smoke the headers, and smell like burning plastic. That's how you REALLY know it's baking it on.

TPI383, is that DIY stuff, that you don't have to bake on, actually work? I mean, does it do the same thing as a ceramic coated header? (albeit less effectively?)

Think that stuff will work well on these? : http://www.superdave81.com/Z24/mini-Headers%20115.jpg

how many coats do you reccomend?

Yes it works just as good. its just a satin black. not shiny silver.
Its not in a rattle can though so you need a gun to spray it.

I've got one of those HVLP sprayers, It's got a standard automotive paint gun so i'm guessing it'll work?

How much was it for a can ?


Thanks man

Yes a HVLP gun will work fine.
I buy em in quart bottles so they run $125
12oz bottle are $50
4oz is $20

8-12 oz should do you fine.

There's some **** at the autoparts store that says it's good to 1200 degrees, and so far it's still working

Those homemade?

Yep, i've got about 20 hours into them.


they're actually on the engine and it's been started a few times... i have yet to drive the car tho. Should be fun when i do

I used some krylon 1200* silver with ceramic, and baked it on from the inside with a torch, haven't put them on the car yet though, but they look nice so far.

Purple82ta, what kind of money do you got into those, more than 100? Did you have those flanges machined for you?

I've got about $140 in the U bends and piping, the 3 collectors were about $50 and the flanges were $40.

the flanges were iron head Camaro V6 ones.. i had to adjust them a bit to make them fit on an aluminium head V6. The bolt spacing and port size/shapes are a little different.

I'm going to try to get it together enough to drive around the block today...

how long have u ran the car with the coating on em? any sign of degradation?

Yea, the VHT NEEDS to be cure to last. I painted my headers with it but didnt cure it and they didnt last 6 months. Now I gotta pull um off and paint them again.

I sand blasted then used VHT primer, paint, clear then, cured in the
oven. One year later still looks GREAT...

Im just glad that Ive still got near a full can just sitting in the closet. How hard is it to cur in teh oven. Does is produce any unwanted side effects, like say wanted flavoring of meals....

and just out of curiousity since you have the exact same headers....what did you do for a y pipe?

I followed the VHT instructions to the T.
Heating, cooling, heating again. I forget
the time frames but it's on the can.

As for the SMELL... hahahaha
It smelt like crayons while baking. Not
strong but noticeable. No after affect
noticed afterwards.

The y-pipe was custom made for me.

I figured that on the y. I had one made, but the shop did a piss poor job. I found out when I had to tear the car down that they didnt even weld the intersection of the 2 banks fully. theres line about as long as my thumb thats just an open crack...and they used 2.5 in pipe when I told them 3